An RV? McNeil should spring for a limo. He certainly will be able to afford one.

McNeil is in an enviable spot in Chicago's sports radio landscape. His "Mac, Jurko&Harry" drive-time show crushed WSCR-AM 670's Rick Telander in the fall ratings, and McNeil can play one station against the other in negotiations.

Asked what kind of money he's seeking in a new contract, McNeil said: "I won't really get into it, but it's payday for me. Since sports radio in Chicago was born in 1992, and this is where I risk injury by patting myself on the back, the one constant has been that my shows take people home. We've been the people's choice, and I expect my new salary and bonus structure to reflect that."

Sources say McNeil, who currently makes around $275,000, could receive more than $500,000 per year in a new deal.

Industry analyst Bob Snyder said he wouldn't be surprised to see McNeil double his paycheck.

"I see Dan as the linchpin of the sports radio landscape for the next few years," said Snyder, a former WMVP executive who consults for teams and stations on broadcasting rights fees. "He may determine who edges who in the ongoing ratings battle."

What's intriguing about McNeil's future is it could affect so many shows. If WSCR hires McNeil, the station is likely to put an end to Telander's show, which was dogged by early chemistry problems and earned only a 2.2 rating, compared with 5.5 for "Mac, Jurko&Harry."

McNeil either could team with Telander holdover Mike Mulligan or WSCR could reunite him with Terry Boers, who partners with Dan Bernstein in the midday.

McNeil and Boers formed the "Heavy Fuel Crew" for WSCR in 1992-99, and McNeil said the two remain friends.

Executives at WSCR broke up that tandem in August 1999 and put McNeil with Dan Jiggetts. McNeil said that although he liked Jiggetts personally, he felt uncomfortable on the show and left the station in October 2000.

"I basically said: `Take this job and shove it,'" McNeil recalled. "It was a dumb move financially, given that I had a wife, three kids and a mortgage."

After six months off the air, Mitch Rosen hired McNeil to work weekends for ESPN Radio in Bristol, Conn. Rosen is the program director for WSCR, and he and McNeil have remained friendly through the years.

"I liked working with Mitch," McNeil said. "But then I've gotten along swimmingly with every broadcast executive I've ever worked with."

McNeil then belted out a laugh, acknowledging his reputation as an occasional troublemaker.

"While I can be a real pain in the [butt], I'm nothing if not coachable," he said. "I've never pretended to have all the answers. Most [program directors] realize the same swing-from-the-hip guy you get on the air is what you get off the air."

WMVP made an initial offer last month in an effort to re-sign McNeil. McNeil said he made a counteroffer through his agent, Bryan Harlan, the former public relations director for the Bears, and they are awaiting a response.

WMVP's Len Weiner said: "We hope to have Mac's services back at the station. We're working on it."

But in the battle of resources, WSCR would figure to come out on top. Industry analysts say ABC Radio, which owns WMVP, has been far less willing to pay top dollar for talent.

The Score, by contrast, is paying Steve Stone $100,000 this year to provide baseball analysis three days a week. And considering the buzz Stone has generated, that could be a bargain.

The Score also remains the favorite to land the rights fees for the White Sox, which would signal the end of the team's 10-year relationship with WMVP.

McNeil, for his part, doesn't want to see the "Mac, Jurko&Harry" show expire--not with the show at its peak.

"The thing I cherish about this show is that the two guys bring out my warm side," he said. "I'm a [jerk], but I'm also a loving guy who likes sports. We took the philosophy a couple years ago that we wouldn't be bridled by bad teams. We wouldn't sit around pounding our fists on the console in front of us and talk through gritted teeth.

"We bust on each other and put some fun into it."

Drafty in here

WSCR has hired former Bears analyst Hub Arkush to serve as its NFL draft analyst next week. Arkush will join Mike North at 7:20 a.m. on Monday and at 7:40 a.m. the rest of the week. If Arkush is received well, it could lead to a regular gig at the station.

NFL draft fans who don't find ESPN's 17 hours of live coverage next weekend sufficient can purchase an 80-minute DVD that features extensive video and analysis on top prospects and hidden gems. Draft aficionado Denis Krusos rates Texas' Cedric Benson as the draft's best running back and Cal's Aaron Rodgers as "the most accurate quarterback we've seen since Troy Aikman."

The DVD costs $29.95 and is available at 4thandgoalfilms.com.

We're talking about practice

The Bears' exhibition schedule, which was released Tuesday, begins with an Aug. 8 "Monday Night Football" game against Miami on WLS-Ch.7.

WMAQ-Ch. 5 will broadcast the other four games: Aug. 12 at St. Louis, Aug. 20 at Indianapolis, Aug. 26 vs. Buffalo and Sept. 1 vs. Cleveland. As reported earlier, Mike Ditka has re-signed with WMAQ for three seasons to provide analysis. All five exhibition games are at 7 p.m.